Luxembourg hotels getting fuller

Luxembourg's hotels recorded a rise in occupancy rates and overnight stays during the first four months of the year.

27.05.2014

Luxembourg's hotels recorded a rise in occupancy rates and overnight stays during the first four months of the year.

According the country's tourism ministry, overnight stays rose overall by 4.5 percent compared with the beginning of 2013.

The sharpest growth reported by hotels was in the south (up 7.2 percent) and Luxembourg Ardennes regions (up 5.1 percent).

The average occupancy rate was 65 percent, marking a 3 percent improvement compared with the year before. This growth comes despite an increase in the cost of holiday accommodation – average daily room prices in the hospitality industry rose 2.9 percent. Revenue per room, meanwhile, rose 7.4 percent from January to April 2014 compared with the year before.

Campsites also showed a promising start to the holiday season with overnight stays up 12 percent.

The only tourism accommodation sector which bucked this trend was youth hostels, which experienced a 12 percent decline in overnight stays. This result, however, was mainly because of the closure of the Bourglinster hostel and fewer visits from Luxembourg schools.

And it is not just domestic tourists and business travellers who are using Luxembourg's hotels - they are attracting an international crowd. Luxembourg reported a strong rise in the number of US nationals staying in Luxembourg (18.8 percent) as well as Japanese (14.2 percent) and Chinese guests (12.3 percent). Within Europe, the number of Dutch tourists rose most dramatically (up 9.3 percent), followed by France (7.8 percent).

Tourism Minister Francine Closener said: "I ​​welcome the beginning of great season and continued positive development of tourism. Although the sector has undoubtedly benefited from good weather, efforts focused on making structures more professional, the development of quality as well as targeted and effective promotion are certainly bearing fruit.”

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council Tourism has a direct or indirect impact on 6.5 percent of Luxembourg's GDP.